MESENCHYMAL HAMARTOMA OF LIVER IN A MAN - COMPARISON WITH CASES IN INFANTS

A 53 year old man with a large mesenchymal hamartoma is reported. Only a few bile ducts could be found in the periphery of the lesion and no hepatocytes were identified within the lesion. As far as is known, th is is the only adult male patient reported to date. On the basis of th e reported findings of mesenchymal hamartoma in other adults, it is su ggested that there could be changes in the morphology of this lesion w ith age: progressive loss of hepatocytes; degeneration of bile duct ep ithelium; and cystic change of the mesenchymal component. The haematop oietic element is considered to be part of the fetal hepatic haematopo iesis that occurs in the hamartoma.